Commentary-Bible

Are the Ten Commandments absolute or conditional? Is idolatry still a problem for contemporary people? Does a child have an obligation to honor an abusive or selfish parent? Is assisted suicide a form of murder? Does the spirit of capitalism contradict the commandment against coveting? This book discusses the most quoted section of the Bible in the context of today's complicated moral issues, and from the perspective of the Sages of the Jewish tradition. It shows how ten simple utterances are both timely and timeless.

Torah MiEtzion presents original, insightful essays on the Bible by the rabbis and scholars of Yeshivat Har Etzion, one of today's most vibrant and influential schools of modern biblical interpretation. Since its founding in Israel in 1968, Yeshivat Har Etzion has emphasized Bible study alongside Talmud study in order to foster what its founder, Rabbi Yehuda Amital z"l, called an "organic understanding" of Torah and Torah philosophy. The result has been the development of a unique, analytically rigorous, creative, interpretive method that is infused with a profound quest for meaning.

This volume of Torah MiEtzion, which examines the Torah portions of the Book of Bemidbar, includes essays by Rabbis Amnon Bazak, Ezra Bick, Yonatan Grossman, Menachem Leibtag, Mosheh Lichtenstein, Elchanan Samet, Chanoch Waxman, Dr. Yael Ziegler, and other leading scholars.

Torah Song seeks to grasp the seemingly impenetrable mechanism of biblical poetry and to access the essential theological function that it plays in the Torah. Mining the poetry of the Torah for its theological gems necessitates that we acknowledge Torah poetry and prose to be fundamentally distinctive literary forms. Poetry, unlike prose, precludes the possibility of pinning it down in an absolute sense. Its allure derives from a certain indefinable harmony between articulation and intimation, best expressed in the language of the fine arts as impressionism. The shift in genre from 'realism' to 'impressionism' calls for an interpretive approach that relinquishes the insistence upon restrained exactitude, thereby allowing for analytical spontaneity. Torah Song articulates a groundbreaking interpretive methodology specific to the unique needs of biblical poetry and demonstrates the poetry of the Torah to function as a loosely connected, broad meditation on Israel's unmitigated acceptance of God's earthly domain, קבלת עול מלכות שמים, within their role as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש, caretakers of the divine covenant.

The Jewish nation begins with a collection of twelve brothers and half-brothers, linked through their father, Jacob. From these close familiar beginnings, each develops into a distinct tribe, with unique characteristics and destinies that have indelible imprints on the rest of Tanakh.

Tribal Blueprints examines each of Jacob's sons, revealing their individual stories in Genesis and the impact of their shifting places within the family. How do these individuals evolve? What is the role of each of the four mothers? How does each brother's placement in the birth order of the family influence his behavior? How are the brothers' personalities reflected in future generations?

In this volume, Prof. Nechama Price takes the reader on a journey through the biblical narrative, looking anew at the ancient stories of Genesis to uncover a new appreciation for the special role of each of the twelve tribes, who together form the nation of Israel.

The relatives drank vodka Till their beards dropped. And the in-laws gobbled goose and pastrami Till their bellies popped. Amalia Hoffman captures the spirit and soul of klezmer with charming and whimsical illustrations where the music is playfully intertwined with every detail of village life.

Unlocking the Torah Text provides an in-depth journey into the Torah portion through a series of studies on each parsha.

Each study opens with a brief summary of the narrative and then presents probing questions designed to strike to the core of the text. These questions are addressed through a review of traditional commentaries spanning the ages, combined with original approaches.
Deep philosophical issues and perplexing textual questions are carefully examined and discussed in clear and incisive fashion. The actions and motivations of the patriarchs, matriarchs and other biblical figures are probed with an eye towards determining the lessons to be learned from the lives of these great personalities. Clear distinction is made between pshat straightforward literal meaning and Midrash rabbinical exegesis as both of these approaches to biblical text are carefully defined and applied. Finally, thought-provoking connections are raised between the eternal Torah narrative and critical issues of our time. Each study is thus constructed to encourage continued discussion and study of the Torah narrative.

Reviews:
“New and refreshing insights…. Rabbi Goldin acts as a responsible teacher of Torah, letting the text speak for itself.…Unlocking the Torah Text is a very good book indeed, challenging the reader to use his native intelligence in reading the Good Book as God’s Book.”
Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm, Chancellor of Yeshiva University

Rabbi Shmuel Goldin has rendered an extraordinary service… Challenging us with fascinating questions, he presents unique solutions to problems that wemight never have noticed but which are critical to our understanding of the text. Sabbath discussions in the pulpit or around the table will be greatly enriched by his analysis.
Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, spiritual leader of Congregation
Kehilath Jeshurun, New York City


“Rabbi Goldin’s book is original, thoughtful, and provocative. Written with clarity, sensitivity and empathy, it will inspire modern readers of the Torah to grapple with the text and to wrest from it contemporary messages of personal meaning and communal significance.”
Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter, senior scholar at the Center for the Jewish Future of Yeshiva University

“Rabbi Shmuel Goldin is a treasured member of our Jewish studies faculty because of the insight, clarity and love of text displayed in this volume. Employing simple but probing questions, he has produced an eye-opening volume, transforming Biblical story into sacred values. It is a delicious read.”
Richard Joel,President of Yeshiva University

“Superb! …Carefully conceived, conceptually challenging, stylistically elegant… magnificently inviting.”
Rabbi Maurice Lamm, noted rabbi and author of The Jewish Way in Death and Mourningand other works

“In Unlocking the Torah Text, Goldinprovides the reader with a useful aid to understanding the biblical text. Writing in a pleasant, lucid style, he identifies the main questions, and in a modern idiom discusses some of the classic approaches. He carries his learning lightly so as to meet the challenges of the textand stimulate debate of the issues. A highly readable and thoughtful work.”
Aviva Zornberg,author of Genesis: The Beginning of Desire,winner of the National Jewish Book Award

We ask Hashem each day "Veha'arev Na - Please make our Torah learning sweet!" And the bestselling Vehaarev Na series does just that, by presenting the fascinating halachic challenges and solutions of Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein shlita, son-in-law of HaGaon Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt"l. Now, in this third English volume, readers can continue to enjoy these intriguing and stimulating shiurim based on the weekly parshah. Written in a deceptively easy style by Rabbi Erez Chazani, a student of Rav Zilberstein and a member of the Rav's Kollel Beis David in Cholon, Veha'arev Na brings the excitement of Torah to everyone's Shabbos table. Baruch, a convert to Judaism, is blessed with his first son. Can his gentile father be sandek at the bris? A tourist from abroad places a wad of dollars into the Kosel HaMaaravi as a "gift." What should be done with the money? Two people, one wearing tefillin while the second is carrying his, arrive together at shul at precisely the same moment. Who should enter first? A doctor performing a transplant removes the wrong kidney from the donor but thereby saves her life. Is he liable for negligence? A gabbai orders a taxi so that the Jewish driver can complete the minyan in his shul. Who must pay the cabdriver's bill? Reuven discovers that a prankster wrote Hashem's Name in the dust on his dirty windshield. Can he erase it?

We don't often get a chance to ask penetrating questions of our family or friends. The one time in the week when we can learn - and be inspired by the thoughts and life experiences of others - is Shabbos or Yom Tov. But how can we bring that about? How can we engage family, friends and guests so that we make the relevant Torah portion come alive?

Welcome to Our Table shows exactly how. It provides a user-friendly guide to help one and all make the most of the Shabbos and Yom Tov experience. And, while it will not deliver the food to your table, it will deliver the rest - amazing Torah wisdom, insightful questions and inspiring stories From Our Table to Yours!

What Did the Prophets Say? provides a rare and intimate opportunity to understand the message of the Prophets for our times. The reader is invited into a series of actual classes that cover the works of the Prophets from Joshua through the end of Melachim (Kings II). This book presents the text and its message in a readable form that is extraordinary in its scope and depth. What Did the Prophets Say? was authored by Rabbi Dr. P. Rosenzweig, an ordained orthodox rabbi and a practicing clinical psychologist.

Focusing on Rashi and the Ba'alei HaTosafos.